Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-08-05

they had been run at a loss for a year or
more, but that we could get more informa-
ton from gentleman who lived beyond
the valley, Don Pascual FenokiO, the own
er of several mines This was all n hill
country we were in, and the trail beyond
was narrow and difficult. This | particu-
larly remember from a fall | got, the first
one Of the Journey, from my horse. 1t
was not the poor tdbnIo's fault, nor alto
gether mine. We we're riding along a
shelf cut out Of high cliff, narrow ledge,
beneath which a precipitous bank fell
straight TO brawlng stream, perhaps 60
feet below. My black mare seemed to
think the path insecure, and crowded me
against the perpendicular wall, jamming
my ley so severely that without thought
as to consequences | pulled her head saw
agely TO the right. had not counted upon
| the cruel Mexican bit in her mouth-a YER
| liable instrument of torture, with its
crooked tongue piece and pendent bits Of
| iron. The pain was such that she jumped
sidewise instantly, and | found myself
aground at once The mineralogist yelled,
| the chief halted as if stupeiied but the
mare aud myself regained our composure
after the first shock, and soon righted our
selves. As she had jumped into hole just
level with her back, | had not far 10 fall,
but another foot to the right would have
carried us rolling down the bank
"You chose good spot for your exhibi-
ton" said the chief rs he spurred past.
There isn't another place in the trail 50
wide as this But the next time you light,
get off on the left side that is the custom
airy one taken in Mexico
My good beast was uninjured, and, re
mounting, | followed my companions to the
house Of Don Fenokio, buried in a little val
ley formed by lateral tributary to the
principal river Of the district.
The Don stalwart man Of about 40,
with a kindly face half hidden by beard,
more resembled II Scotchman than Mexi-
can he spoke English with IA correct nc
cent. being the first gcHie dc rd-oH Tor man
of reason) we had found in a fortnight's
ride who addressed us in our tongue. His
father. in fact was an Englishman, one OF
Il colony planted here fifty years ago, sent
out to work the mines He had with him
a most charming family of daughters. meet
Of manner and gentle voiced, who enter
tanned us delightfully."- with music and con
versation, until we were more than half
persuaded that we had found, at last the
fair SenOritas about whom the poet perpet
ually raves Don Fenokio frankly in
formed us of the condition of the mines o
the state of Oaxaca the richest Of which
were clustered almost IN sight Of his house
There is comparatively little gold in Mexi
| co all the great mines Of the central re
gion and the northwest-those OF Iachuca
(uanaiuato, Iacatecas and Chihuahua-be
ing Of silver, the ore Of low grade, anc
very difficult and expensive to work. II
very low localities such as the desert re
gion Of Lower California certain Exhaust
ed plucers in Sonora, and perhaps in or nea
the old district Of Tasco. state Of Guerre
ro, which were worked by the Aztecs be
fore Spanish posscssion-ns well as in OAK
Ca, has gold been found. And while tn
z silver lies in masses, or is disseminated il
fine threads that ramify the vast chain @
the Sierra Madre, veins that have beel
r followed, some Of them, for over 300 years
{ the gold is found in pockets in the gran
e ite rocks Of Oaxaca, without any superb
I cial indications that can be positively rehe'
E upon.
l On the borders Of the great state of OAK
. AGA, which is many leagues in extent, tn
/ Sierra Madre is depressed. breaking up in
{ to various cordilleras which sink at tn
sthmus Of Tehuantepec, into inslgnitican
: hills These Sierras situated mostly i
o Oaxaca. yield more gold than any othe
i section uf the country and it is to them
j. hallowed as they are 10y traditions Of Edo
i RADIO ancient and molern-that MeXic
looks for her future supply Of ei oro-th
e yellow gold.
'- A mile above Don Fenokio's reductio
e works. are those Of a formerly famou
< mine the Cinco Sehores, poor now, an
p not paying expenses. When the Frenc
It soldiers were here, during their invasion ,
- Mexico plundering everything they coul
5 find, they espied heapo Of litharge-
!. was, of course, a perfectly useless produ,
| for them-and mstook it for gold. PacI
IS ing their knapsacks full Of it, they are sal
Il 10 have carried it to the City Of Mexico
y above 200 miles, before discovering the
II mistake.